DVLA regional offices set to close in 2013

20th August 2012

In a bid to cut costs and improve efficiency, the Driver & Vehicle Licensing Agency is to close all its 39 regional offices from late next year.

The go-ahead was given by Roads Minister Mike Penning, and central to the improvements is making more transactions available online.  It is estimated the changes will save around £26 million a year.

The centralisation plan, however, has been met with concerns by the Freight Transport Association, which is not convinced the online service will be developed to a standard that meets the industry’s needs.

DVLA offices have always played a significant part in the running of the day-to-day business of fleets, from tax discs to digital tachograph services.  If the proposed intermediaries (ie, Post Office Counters and online) are not geared up to handle bulk business sector enquiries, says the FTA, everything will have to be dealt with by post, slowing down the whole process.

“Now the Minister has confirmed that the DVLA local offices will close, the Agency has got to deliver an alternative which is fit for purpose and benefit business," said Ian Gallagher, the FTA’s policy manager for driver licence and vehicles registration.  “We see this as being a radical improvement to the Agency’s online systems and a payment structure which is recognised by business and not complicated by Treasury rules.”